Storm
by Boreanaz
Summary: Terry gets caught in Bruce's mansion during a thunderstorm...and a snowstorm... TerryBruce SLASH WARNING: Because of JLU this is now considered INCEST, although I wrote it long before that episode.
1. Something to Apologize For

Disclaimer: I do not own Batman Beyond or any other Batman related characters. Terry and Bruce are just being borrowed because I love them so much. Ok? Ok.

A/N: This is my first Batman Beyond fanfic. I sure choose a controversial pair to write about, eh? Feel free to tell me what I did wrong. smile

Just as Terry McGinnis pulled his bike up the drive of Wayne Manor rain came down in sheets, falling across his shoulders and pelting every muscle on his back with large balls of hail. He ran inside and slammed the door behind him with a loud thud, sighing and shaking his hair out on the plush carpeting without a care.

"Raining?"

He looked up at the sound of the voice and glared. "No, I just jumped in your pool outside. I thought, 'Hey, it's twenty-three degrees out. Why not take a swim in some moldy green water?'"

Terry threw off his jacket on the back of one of Bruce's leather couches and kicked his shoes into the middle of the room. He growled and shook his hair again until he was satisfied enough to look up at the man who'd made him Batman.

"What?"

Bruce's face remained impassive but he could tell something was up. The older man coughed. "Your…you have clothes to change into in the cave, remember?"

Terry's looked down at himself and when he looked back up at Bruce his eyes had softened and he was smiling. "Oh yeah. I forgot."

Bruce smirked just a little and he directed Terry with a turn of his hand. Terry just shook his head and left him alone in the upstairs foyer while he coughed a little louder and ran a hand through his hair.

He really needed to take a shower.

He sighed, closing his eyes.

It was a hassle just to try and keep a straight face with Terry these days, even when he knew he didn't have to. Just one raised eyebrow or one small smirk lit up the boy's face until he…

"I just checked. The news says it's comin' down in sheets and the hail's getting bigger with each one that comes down. I think I might have to stick around a while."

Bruce ran his tongue across the roof of his mouth before he spoke. "Of course. There is plenty of room. You'll have to call your mother first."

Terry eyed him oddly and then shrugged. "No big deal. She'll probably just be jealous I get to sleep in one of those big ol' canopy beds from the turn of the century. You know, girls."

Bruce smiled. "Your mother is as far from being a girl as one could be."

Terry smiled back and he had to tone his own down to keep Terry's from getting any larger. "Yeah, I guess. So…no Bat tonight, yeah? I get to sleep."

"Of course…unless you want to."

Terry gave him a crooked grin and shook his head. "Unless I want to…Bruce you're…hey, that was kinda funny. You been holding out on me?"

Bruce moved himself a few steps so they were closer together and frowned. "Since when do you call me Bruce?"

"Since, like, forever."

"Well…just…don't do it in front of your mother."

Terry frowned and scratched his head. "Oh...kay. You sure are weird tonight. I think I might just be too tired."

He yawned and stretched his arms up in the air, revealing that he hadn't changed out of his wet shirt from earlier. Bruce sighed. "You didn't change."

"Huh?"

"Your clothes, they're still damp. You can…"

Terry put his arm on Bruce's shoulder. "Are you okay? Tired? I can help you to bed or something if…"

Bruce pushed his arm away and growled, "I'm fine. I'm not an invalid."

"I just…"

"Goodnight Terry."

Terry frowned and watched Bruce disappear into a black hallway, sighing when there were no more footsteps. "I was just…being nice."

"There are rooms upstairs that are empty. The one on the…end…is the cleanest."

"I…"

"Goodnight McGinnis."

Terry started to walk towards the voice when he heard a growl from Bruce that made him stop.

"Don't. I…it's late and I'm not myself. I shouldn't be around y…anyone…right now."

"Okay. Goodnight then."

There was no answer and Terry ran a few steps up the stairs to check out the scenery, not aware of the pair of eyes following his every move.

The top floor of the manor was older and had a thin sheet of dust lying across everything he stepped on, which made his path much easier to follow even in his bare feet. He walked to the end after a total of twelve rooms and opened the door to reveal a contradiction of the area outside.

The room was spotless and new, had a large television on the wall with a DVD player, CD player, and VCR all together beside it. Terry ran his hand over the screen and came back with it clean, making him frown.

Who was this for? Did Bruce come up here then?

He turned on the light and gasped when lightning struck outside at the same time.

He walked over and sat on the bed, putting his face in the comforter to see if it was new and smelling Bruce's after-shave.

Yeah…it was his room.

Bruce had given him his room?

He peeled back the comforter and felt silk under his fingers, making him grin.

The Batman had red silk sheets.

Heh.

Terry shook his head and peeled off his shirt, tossing it to the floor. Then he pulled off his jeans and kicked them into the pile as well.

Clad in only black boxer briefs he walked over to the closet and opened it to reveal a row of suit jackets and a row of shirts and a row of…normal shirts.

Hmm.

He saw a bright blue t-shirt and took the material in his hand, pulling just a little and catching it when it fell. The shirt sat scrunched in the palm of his hands and he shook it out, eyes squinting in confusion when he knew why the shirt had caught his attention.

It was his shirt.

He hung it back up and closed the closet door, turning off the light on his way back to the bed.

He lay on his back staring at the ceiling to try and process the information.

Bruce had given him his room.

Bruce had one of his shirts hung up in his closet.

So…

He cursed, grabbing for the phone.

He hadn't called his mom.

He dialed and hummed a little, drumming his fingers against the bed table.

His mother's voice came through his ear and he was glad Bruce didn't have a videophone in his room.

"Hello?"

"Hey, ma…it's me. I got stuck here at Br…Mr. Wayne's. I'm gonna stay the night."

He knew she trusted him, of course.

The reason she paused was because of "Mr. Wayne."

"Stay? Terry are you sure…you're not going to bother him? He's an old man and…"

"I'm sure, mom. Really. Bruce offered. It's cool. It's the weekend anyway and I have to be here in the morning to drive him to the Wayne/Powers meeting in the morning anyway so…it's easier."

She sighed. "Okay honey. I just…I worry."

He smiled. "I know, mom. But I'm fine. Tired, but fine."

"Oh…then you get your rest, honey. You can't make that man late for his own company meeting."

Terry rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah…I know. Goodnight, mom."

"Goodnight honey. Sweet dreams."

"You too."

He hung up the phone with a smile on his face, closing his eyes as the sound of the rain came in his earshot.

Just as he was falling asleep he heard someone breathing and heard feet scraping along the carpet.

He yawned and opened his eyes. "Bruce?"

"I…I thought you were asleep."

He sighed. "I was. You…what's goin' on?"

He couldn't see his boss in the darkness but knew he was close. "I just…wanted to make sure you found everything okay."

"Yeah. I'm…found everything okay? What was there to find?"

A pause.

Long, long pause.

Then a hand on his arm rubbing back and forth in a friction. "I…I worry about you sometimes, Terry."

There was a heat streak burning up and down his arm by now and he could feel the warmth from Bruce's hand making its way to his cheeks. "Worry? About me? I'm fine, Mr. Wayne."

He heard a sigh and the hand was taken away.

"I…still…still I worry. I…I just wanted to make sure you were all right. I'm sorry to have bothered you."

Terry lie confused as he heard Bruce make his way out of the room and into the hall with out his cane.

His breathing was labored and he didn't know what he was supposed to do.

Say he was sorry?

He slid out of the bed and went to catch him before he was gone only to find an empty hallway.

"Damn."

"You shouldn't care what I think. Take care of yourself first."

Terry turned and frowned at the way Bruce was leaning up against the wall without a cane, still able to get around. "Doesn't your…whatever it is that's wrong…hurt?"

"I'm fine."

"You sure don't act like it."

He felt an arm grab hold of his and pull the two of them together. "I'm…_fine_," Bruce whispered, their eyes less than an inch apart and lips…

Terry kissed him by impulse and nothing more, and wasn't at all surprised to be pushed back with such strength that he fell onto the floor.

"I…"

"Goodnight Terry."

Terry licked his lips and remembered what had just been there a moment before, and tried not to have a nervous breakdown.

He'd kissed his boss.

A fifty…okay sixty-year-old man.

Okay, breathe McGinnis breathe.

Shit.

What the hell was he supposed to do now?

He smiled suddenly.

Well at least now he had something to apologize for.


	2. A Mistake

He lie awake till dawn trying not to think about it.

Yeah, like that was gonna happen.

Terry closed his eyes just as the rain began to turn into snow and sighed, relieved at the coming sleep.

There was a hand on his shoulder and he groaned. "No…no…it's…_not_ morning."

"Then what do you call that bright, yellow light coming through the window"

Terry sighed, still not opening his eyes or moving from his position.

"Hell"

He heard a chuckle, which instantly caused his eyes to open, but didn't dare move.

There was a long silence, and Bruce still didn't move the hand he had on Terry's shoulder and he sort of hoped it meant that last night…

"It's snowing."

He blinked. "Snowing"

"Yes…badly. The meeting's been cancelled. That's why…you can sleep in as long as you need."

Terry turned over to see the look in Bruce's eyes and was disappointed that there was nothing more than the same tired expression he always wore.

"Oh. So…I guess if the snow…"

The hand was removed and he felt the loss, pinching at the sheets with his fingers and staring down at the shiny red material.

"Of course. You're welcome here. I…but about last night…"

Terry sighed, closing his eyes. "How is it that the first time you want to talk about something it turns out to be this"

He felt the movement on the bed and opened his eyes, biting his lip at the expression before him.

Pity.

Shit.

Bruce sighed. "Terry, you've been through more than most your age have and come out of it…wonderfully. It's _natural_ for you to grow…_attached_…to me after your father..."

"Wait, _stop_. Please."

Bruce raised an eyebrow and Terry shook his head. "Just…don't. You're freaking me out. I don't…I don't know what it was about or…if I really need to know, okay? I just…lost my head. It won't happen again. I guarantee it."

Bruce smiled. "A momentary lapse of judgment"

"Something like that…or…_sanity_, whichever."

Bruce looked away from him, silent for a moment until Terry coughed.

"Bruce, I…I'm sorry."

"You're sorry."

"Yeah. I just…I'm sorry to throw this stuff at you. My messed up head and…all."

Bruce's hand was on his hip through the blanket and Terry froze, his eyes staring at the hand and not up at the man beside him.

"It's fine really. Your messed up head is partly my fault."

"That's not true."

The hand moved up and down and at Terry's sharp intake of breath Bruce stopped the movement, but kept his hand in place.

"Go back to sleep, Terry. I'll call your mother for you."

Terry looked up and saw the fire behind those tired eyes, which sent chills down to his toes.

"She's at work. I'll just call her later. I…Bruce"

The hand was taken away and he sighed, standing up with his back to Terry before he spoke.

"I have…calls…to make…I…"

"Bruce…"

Bruce stopped, turned around to meet his eyes and sighed. "_Don't_."

Terry wanted to ask, wanted to ask about everything but all he could get out was"Thank you" before his mentor left the room and he was alone again in Bruce's bed.

He closed his eyes and sighed softly, fingers pulling the sheets up to his cheek. The silk rubbed against the skin and he opened his eyes abruptly, turning over and grabbing for the phone.

The ringing took any thoughts out of his head and he smiled, relieved.

Everything was normal.

He was going to be eighteen in eight months and two days.

He was in love with his girlfriend Dana.

And he was Batman.

He did not…did NOT…want his boss.

Oh, and he didn't like guys.

Important, that one.

"Hello"

"Hi, mom"

"Terry, what are you…oh the snow! Are you trapped there for the night again"

Terry ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "Yeah…you could say that. I'll be back tomorrow night though. I'll make sure of it."

She laughed and he smiled. "Well…all right. I hope you're not imposing upon Mr. Wayne. You're not making any trouble for the man, are you"

Terry smiled. "Well, I'm trying not to but I just can't seem to stop invading his…space."

"Honey."

"Really ma it's okay. He's cool about it He…he understands. Don't worry. I'll be back home in one piece by the time I'm out of here."

She sighed. "All right. Well, I hope the weather stops soon. Your brother and I miss you around here."

"Well tell the twip…"

"_Terry_."

He sighed. "Tell him I miss him too and…he better stay out of my room."

"All right honey, I will. Oh, that's the video feed. I have to go. Goodbye Terry."

"Bye m…"

He heard a dial tone in his ear and shook his head. "Stupid phone."

"It's an antique…late twentieth century."

Terry looked up at Bruce with a smirk. "Well, it should be in a display case instead of by your bed."

He nearly bit his own tongue when he realized what he'd let slip, but saw no change in Bruce's eyes.

"Well, I prefer to have it in use. It's never needed to be fixed in the years I'd had it."

Terry swallowed. "Well, that's technology for ya."

Bruce nodded, sitting in a large armchair beside the bed with a coffee cup in his had. He took a slow sip, his eyes meeting Terry's over the rim causing the tension in the room to raise another level.

" I thought you were going back to sleep. I would have called your mother for you."

Terry shrugged. "Don't matter. She would've freaked if you'd called anyway. This was just easier."

"Yes well…since there is more time than we've ever been able to have in the proximity of the cave I thought this afternoon might be a good time for you to try out some new weapons and maybe other suits."

"What for"

Bruce sipped his coffee and licked his lips before answering. "Practice"

"For what"

"Fun"

Terry's eyes widened and Bruce smiled at him. "Yes McGinnis, I do know what _fun_ is. And I thought that with you trapped in my home there would be cause for some _fun _to be had."

Terry narrowed his eyes to a slit and he smiled slyly. "Who are you and what have you done with Bruce Wayne"

Bruce stopped smiling and locked eyes with his successor, not moving any part of his face.

Terry looked away. "Oh…kay…I guess you're still him."

"I can still be both Batman and Bruce Wayne at the same time. It's hard to be one or the other without the…nights."

Terry looked back at him and their eyes met, causing the younger man to move closer to Bruce in the process. He put his arm on Bruce's knee and whispered"Is it that bad"

"Terry…"

"I don't…I don't want to hide behind the Bat like you want to. I…I want to be me and be Batman at different times."

Bruce took the hand away and their noses were close enough to touch when he mumbled"After a while…there isn't a difference."

Terry's hand came out on impulse and covered Bruce's just as he leaned in to kiss his predecessor's mouth more roughly than he had been able to the first time.

Bruce's hands instinctively came into Terry's hair and the younger man growled into his mouth while putting a hand on both of Bruce's knees. He sighed, pulling his mouth away and breathing against Wayne's neck.

"Well, that…"

"Was a mistake…and it won't happen again."

Terry moved away to look into his eyes, glaring. "A mistake."

"Yes."

"Fine. A mistake."

Bruce got up silently and left Terry to dress, but the younger man chose to forgo his choice and curled right back under the comforter to fall asleep again.


	3. Not Leaving

A mistake.

Not his first one, of course. There had been many other mistakes and there would be more but why did it have to be Terry's mistake and not his?

Bruce was down in the bat cave listening to the news and occasionally checking up on different security cameras throughout the city, just keeping tabs on things while Batman was away.

Not like Terry couldn't go out there.

He could.

But he hadn't even questioned being shut up alone with him in the dead space Bruce called home. He trusted that this was the right thing for them both to do.

Wait out the snow, Bruce?

Sure.

It was one of the worst ideas in the history of ideas, but what else was he supposed to do? Let him out in that? For what reason?

There was no one out there.

So, of course he should stay here.

It was safe here, which was all there was to it.

"Keep telling yourself that old man."

He covered his face with his hands, sighing.

"You make a habit of talking to yourself or did I just witness the first time?"

"No, I do it often."

Terry sat leaned over the back of his chair, staring at the screen. "Good to know. So…what are we seein' here? Anything?"

Bruce coughed, trying not to comment on their proximity and knowing if he did there would be a discussion of what had happened to them earlier. "They're just weather reports. Seems like Gotham isn't the only city to be hit by the strange weather wave."

"Which means, it might actually be a natural occurrence this time and not some psycho with a mutant weather making machine?"

Bruce smiled in spite of himself. "It would seem so."

Terry took his hand away and leaned against the board, staring at Bruce expectantly. "So…what now? Am I supposed to go out and look around or something? Or just…what?"

"You're free to take more time off, actually. You can use the car for the night and come back in the morning to…"

"No way, I'm not leaving you here alone."

Bruce sighed. "Terry."

"You're all by yourself here. You'd be all cooped up with…what if there was a cave in?"

Bruce actually laughed, which startled Terry just a little but he ended up smiling anyway.

"I highly doubt there would be a cave in."

Terry smiled, turning his head sideways so they were close enough to feel each other's breath. "But there could be."

"McGinnis, go home."

"No."

Bruce sighed. "You're digging your own grave here."

"So?"

They stared each other down with Terry still smiling brightly with those clear blue eyes.

He was still a boy.

"Go away, Terry. Leave me to enjoy a natural disaster all by myself. I want to."

"I'm not gonna leave you here all alone. You're not as young as you used to be. Something could happen. There…there could be an accident. Or maybe someone I went after once would try and get in and kidnap you and…"

"I can take care of myself, remember?"

Terry licked his lips. "I remember. But I'm staying. No one needs me right now but you."

Bruce stood up, pushing away the hand offered in front of him and taking his cane instead. He went to the stairs and stared up at the door. "Fine. Do whatever you want to do, McGinnis. I'm too tired to argue."

Terry came to his side suddenly, reaching out to grab his arm. "Are you okay? Do you…"

Their eyes met again. "I'm fine. I just don't want to hear about this when you're thirty."

Terry smiled. "You think you'll be around when I'm thirty?"

"We'll see. Just…help me upstairs."

"I thought you didn't need my help. You can do just fine on your own, right?"

Bruce sighed, his eyes a little tired and he stared at Terry without any anger or humor at all.

"I've been on my own a long time, McGinnis. Sometimes it feels like I've been here all my life. I'm gonna die like this and there isn't a thing you can do to stop me."

Terry frowned, squeezing on Bruce's arm tighter and making him stand still. "It's my own choice, ok? Everything I've ever done that involves you was my own choice. Is still."

"Can we not talk about this?"

"No, we're going to."

Bruce shoved his arm away and started up the stairs, nearly taking two at a time. Terry just watched him with an open mouth.

He'd pretended to end an argument.

And now created a whole new one.

"Wayne, this isn't over."

Bruce didn't answer him and he smiled at the retreating back.

There was something going on here and he wanted to know what it was.

Bruce felt something. He'd kept a shirt Terry had left here months ago without telling him. He had to feel something.

He just had to.

No one had ever responded to his kiss that way before, with such..._desperation_.

Terry frowned, suddenly looking up at Bruce again and knowing full well that he was already out of view.

"I want this."

He did.

And Bruce did.

If the desperation in the way he'd held on for that short time was enough to go on, Bruce wanted this a lot more than he did.

He smiled suddenly, and pulled at the once damp shirt that fell against his skin.

Well, there was something else he hadn't tried.

If Mother Nature was on his side, and he was sure she wasn't, he could just wait for the water to come to him. Or…

God he was starting to think like a drunken sorority girl.

He sighed.

There had to be something else to do to make Bruce see that it was all right to try. Just to try a little.

He walked across the cave to the suits, stopping at Bruce's and staring at it good and hard. There was still enough of Batman left in the man who left the suit behind. There always would be. Bruce had lost everyone else around him because he just _had_ to be Batman. No one could stop him from this…his life.

They shared that life.

Terry trusted him with his life.

Now all he had to do was show Bruce just how much more that entailed than both of them had originally thought.


	4. I Know

He couldn't stay forever.

His mother wouldn't approve.

If not for the weather she would have already gotten suspicious, and if not for Bruce's age she would have been suspicious despite the weather.

Terry smiled, wondering what Bruce ate around this place and not even thinking of going out to look for the man himself. He went into the kitchen and was surprised to find things he liked: pizza and…a lot of other things.

"I didn't know you were staying."

Terry turned to the voice with a raised eyebrow. "But…you'd hoped I would someday?"

Bruce frowned. "No."

"So…you just…_decided _to adopt my eating habits because…you're hoping to kill yourself with clogged arteries instead of just from lack of human contact?"

Bruce didn't answer and Terry smiled behind the freezer door, taking out a pizza and going over to cook it.

"You…"

"I know. You've got enough high tech stuff here, Mr. Wayne. I thought you still lived in the twentieth century."

"I do."

"Then why do you have this stuff?"

Bruce looked about ready to burst and Terry couldn't help himself when he laughed. "I guess I came just in time, huh?"

Bruce walked around him to get to the cabinets, pressing the button on the side and finding what he was looking for before Terry could even try to help. He coughed. "You influenced my life, kid. That much is an understatement. I don't…just…don't get any ideas."

Before he could take back his words Terry blocked his path, blatantly rubbing against him. "You sure you don't want me to?"

"Terry…"

Terry licked his lips, smiling just a little and leaning in to whisper. "I know what it feels like…wanting to lash out at something but only finding nothing. I get it. None of the others did, I'm guessing. I'm guessing Barbara hated you because you were too into the Bat and Dick…well he just hated you. But, I care. You gave me…"

Before he could finish Bruce was staring in his eyes directly, almost suddenly morphing into millionaire playboy mode. He smiled. "You like this, don't you? Trying for something that won't hurt you. Terry, just a few kisses…you can take those back. But more than that...never goes away."

"I don't want it to."

Bruce kissed him then, sticking them together like a vacuum and not bothering to let go of his cane while his other hand came up under Terry's shirt and scratched along the skin.

Terry growled, pushing himself closer and fighting to hold on until Bruce pushed him away, shaking his head. "No."

"Fuck, Bruce…you can't just do that and…"

"You think this is a _good_ idea, McGinnis? You think I really want to…?"

Terry glared at him. "I think you do. Why else…"

"You know its wrong. Why can't you just…stop. Just stop acting…"

"I'm not doing anything."

"Yes, you're not doing anything."

They stared at each other silently until Terry pushed past him to the freezer.

Bruce watched him for a moment and then sighed. "Terry."

"You said I'm the one _making_ you kiss me. So I'm just gonna stand here and be totally quiet. No influencing the poor old man."

"Terry I didn't…"

Terry looked at him again. "I never asked. I've never asked you for anything that you hadn't already let me know I could have. Remember that."

He slammed the freezer closed and left the kitchen and Bruce behind.

The phone call was unexpected at best, but Max knew who it was before he even spoke.

"Hey, what's new in the exciting world of…"

"This is Bruce Wayne. I'd…like to talk to you about Terry."

She almost dropped the phone, but found her fingers and held it tight. "Um…ok."

"Terry's…Terry…"

"Is this gonna get somewhere or am I gonna have to drag everything out of you?"

He sighed. "Terry needs to leave here as soon as possible."

She paused. "Leave where? And why?"

"He's been staying at the mansion and…"

"Oh…so…what's goin' on? You feel the need to have an ex-superheroes party all of a sudden and he's not invited? That it?"

Bruce closed his eyes and sat back in his chair, letting out a sigh in the empty study.

"Mr. Wayne?"

"Everything's fine, Miss Gibbons. No need to worry."

He slammed the phone down and pulled the plug out of the wall.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Bruce looked up and then back down again. "They don't make pennies anymore."

Terry sighed and Bruce turned the chair to the window so his back was to him.

"You were talking to Max. Why?"

"This isn't…this isn't right, Terry. And you need to see that."

"You need to not kiss me back then. That might help."

Bruce stood up and walked around the chair, staring back at Terry with something akin to defeat.

"That wasn't supposed to happen."

"But it did."

Terry crossed the distance between them and leaned up against the desk where Bruce stood. Bruce reached out and gripped his arm. "I'm not sorry it did."

Terry smiled and went to touch his hand just as he whispered, "But…it shouldn't happen again."

"Why?"

"Because I'm old enough to be your father's father. I'm not…this isn't…"

Terry stood in front of him and put his hand around the side of his neck, pulling their mouths together again and holding on tightly just as Bruce pushed him against the desk, growling into the younger man's mouth.

Bruce pulled away again and stared down at him. He reached out and traced the side of Terry's mouth with two fingers, sighing. "Terry."

"Don't…just…don't."

Terry pushed whatever was behind him off the desk and jumped up on it, then grabbed onto the sides of Bruce's coat pulling him closer. Bruce kissed him again softly, pulling on his mouth with another growl and then pulling them apart with his forehead against Terry's.

"We can stop. Just tell me…we…"

"I don't want to. I…will you be…"

"I'll be fine. We…Terry, we shouldn't do this..."

Terry sighed. "Br…"

"_Here_. We shouldn't do this _here_."

Terry smiled. "Oh."

Bruce smiled back and kissed the top of his head. "I think you should go upstairs. I have to…there's something I need to do first. I'll just be a minute."

Terry frowned when he pulled his whole self away. "But…"

"McGinnis, go upstairs."

Terry slipped off the desk and cracked his shoulders before turning to glare at his predecessor. "You swear?"

"Terry, just give me a minute."

Terry nodded and left him alone just as Bruce leaned down and put the phone cord back into the wall and dialed.

"Hello."

Bruce coughed. "Hello Commissioner."

"Bruce, don't call me that."

He smiled. "I…"

"Why are you calling me, Wayne? I'm assuming this isn't about Batman or we would've…"

"It…it's not about Batman, no. It's about Terry."

A pause. "He's young, Bruce. Too young."

Bruce laughed nervously. "I always hated when you did that."

"Reading your mind? I know you too well, Mr. Wayne. And I've seen you and this kid together. You admire him as much as he admires you. I've seen it before…many times."

Bruce closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "He's…it's hard to see the reasons not to, Barbara. And with this storm…"

"The storm?"

"He's been staying with me since the rain last night. And now the snow."

She sighed. "It's one o'clock in the afternoon, Bruce. You don't think he could get a ride home? There are such things as cars."

"It's a blizzard, Barbara. I am not going to throw him out in the snow because I can't keep my hands to myself."

She sighed again. "He's seventeen."

"Eighteen. Just turned."

She laughed. "Why are you calling me again? I thought we had this settled."

"We have us settled, Commissioner. Not this. I…god Barbara, I kissed him."

"_Bruce_."

"And he…he's always there. I…"

"It's a bad idea, Bruce. That's all I have to say. A horrible, bad, horrible idea."

He stood, staring down at the phone. He punched up the video screen and surprised Barbara with his image.

"I care about him."

She held one hand across her eyes as she sighed again. "Bruce."

"I…"

"Bruce, go upstairs."

He blinked just as she pulled her hand away and stared at him with tears on her face. "You deserve to be happy for once in your life. I'm not going to tell you what to do this time. I…I have better things to do."

"Barbara…"

"And…don't try and talk yourself out of it. And…don't ask me how I knew he was upstairs waiting for you because I don't want to get into that right now and…"

Bruce swallowed, reaching out and caressing the screen. "I loved you."

"Not enough. Never…enough. You need someone who understands and…damn if this kid doesn't."

He sighed. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry…"

"Don't. Just…go upstairs and stop calling me for help making decisions you already know you want to happen. I…don't like to drudge up the past. You know that."

Bruce smiled a little. "And this is a little too close for comfort."

She smiled, shaking her head. "I'm _glad_ you trust me but…don't talk to me about this again, all right? Unless I ask."

"Which you won't."

She grinned suddenly wiping her eyes. "You never know. I might surprise you."

Bruce shook his head. "Goodbye Barbara."

She sighed and whispered, "Goodbye," and hung up the phone before he could.

Bruce fell back in his chair again, groaning and closing his eyes.

"You gonna listen to her?"

He smiled, shaking his head. "You never listen, do you?"

"No. Answer my question."

Bruce looked up still smiling. "Go upstairs, Terry."

Terry licked his lips. "Bruce."

"Yes?"

"Um…I just…um…"

"Terry."

"I haven't broken up with Dana…_yet_. And…as much as I want to, _god_ do I want to, I don't…"

Bruce smiled. "Go upstairs Terry."

"I just think…"

Bruce stood up and walked over to where he stood, putting his hands on Terry's hips. Terry stared at him a little nervously and he kissed him. "Go upstairs and wait for me."

"Dana…"

"We won't do anything you haven't already done with Dana."

Terry smiled. "That's…um…well…we've pretty much…done a _lot_."

Bruce smirked. "I know."


	5. Trust Me

Terry stood still, licking his lips and smiling nervously. "Um...I...um."

"McGinnis...are you losing your nerve"

"Me? I...no...I..."

Bruce's hand ran up under the front of Terry's shirt and brushed lightly against the younger man's stomach. Terry shivered, closing his eyes. Bruce watched him quietly and explored higher, smiling when Terry gasped.

"We could...do this here. I could just...talk to me, Terry. Tell me what you want me to do."

Terry opened his eyes. "Tell me about the shirt I found in your closet."

Bruce closed his eyes but didn't take back his hand. "You left it here."

"I got that. But...um."

Bruce opened his eyes, raising an eyebrow. "You can't tell me you don't know. You know, McGinnis. It's fairly obvious, with the...touching...and everything."

Terry smiled. "I got that. I...I just...why? Why did...what did you need it for"

Bruce licked his lips and paused, trying to think.

"Bruce"

He shook his head. "I...alright, you left it behind one night after a storm. And I kept it because..."

"Bruce."

Bruce shook his head again, smiling. "I kept it because it reminded me of how you looked in it, soaking wet and smiling at me from beneath a towel. I just..."

He was blushing.

Terry grinned. "You're so...I didn't know you were so..."

He put a hand on both sides of Bruce's face and kissed him softly, grinning against his mouth when they pulled apart. Bruce tried to stop smiling but couldn't help himself. "So...what"

Terry blushed, not looking him in the eye. "Sentimental, I guess. You just seem a little cold, most of the time."

Bruce squeezed on his arms where he held them, trying to make Terry meet his eyes. "I'm sorry. I never meant to..."

Terry shook his head. "No, I...it's fine. It's past tense, you know"

He licked his lips and watched Bruce do the same.

They stared silently at each other and Bruce ran a hand through Terry's hair. "You should grow it long. Tie it back and I could..." Terry listened to him with his mouth hanging open just slightly, falling into an almost daze. He sighed and Bruce continued"...run my fingers through it when I...Terry. Terry, look at me."

Bruce put his hand under the younger man's chin and smiled. "Do you want to go upstairs"

Terry shook his head, swallowing. "Um...we...um...there's a couch...in here."

Bruce grinned and Terry felt his legs trembling. "There is, yes."

Terry looked down at his feet, blushing. "We could use..._that_."

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "We _could_."

Before Terry could get down on his knees and actually beg to use the couch Bruce's hands were up under his shirt and pulling slowly, silently urging him to raise his arms. He complied and nearly threw his arms around Bruce's neck after he was shirtless, but was pushed back and Bruce shook his head. "No, just, let me."

Terry frowned but didn't move when roaming hands found the zipper of his jeans, and nearly whimpered when Bruce whispered"Lift your legs."

"Um."

"I'm not...trust me, Terry."

They locked eyes for a minute and Terry smiled, lifting his hips in the air.

He was in only a shirt and boxers and Bruce smiled, tugging a little at his shirt and whispering"Tell me to stop."

Terry was silent and kept his eyes open, unblinking at the eyes in front of him.

Bruce sighed and Terry felt him shaking. "Bruce."

"Shh. Just...shh."

"Bruce you..."

Bruce smiled then, nearly laughing. "You think I'm afraid."

Terry frowned. "I...you're...you're shaking and..."

Bruce leaned down and tore Terry's shirt in half from the bottom, causing his eyes to widen.

"I'm not afraid..." Terry's mouth hung open and Bruce smiled, tracing his lips with a finger and whispering"...for me."

Terry swallowed hard, whispering"Oh."

Bruce smiled widely and Terry sucked in a breath, seeing Bruce as he had probably been twenty years ago.

"Do you trust me"

"I told you I did. I..."

Bruce toned his grin down a little and Terry let out a breath, relaxing. Bruce ran a hand over his bare chest and whispered"Close you eyes, Terry."

He did, and felt Bruce's mouth on his stomach, causing shivers down his spine.

Bruce continued down, whispering words Terry couldn't hear but guessed were probably more important than they should be.

The last words Terry heard before he zoned were"Thank you."

The phone rang and Bruce answered it with a smile. "Hello"

There was a pause and breathing. "Um...is Terry there"

Bruce leaned back on his chair, grinning and looking over at the sleeping form across the room.

"He's asleep, Max."

Another pause. "Oh."

"He'll call you when he's awake. He...he had a...we had a training session. It took a lot out of him."

"Oh. I...I"ll...nevermind. It's not important."

"Goodbye Max."

She hung up without a goodbye and Bruce just continued to smile, lifting his legs up onto his desk and not caring at the strain.

He licked his lips once, watching the muscles in Terry's back move as he tried to get comfortable on the couch.

His jaw ached and he knew he should take a shower, but there was no one else he wanted to be.

Besides upstairs in his own bed, with the sleeping creature that trusted him more than he trusted himself, and could get under his skin better than anyone ever could.

He turned his chair and looked out the window at the snow, which was slowly turning into rain, sticking to the pane and blurring the vision from his side.

"Bruce"

He turned and Terry was sitting up, his legs firmly on the floor and his hair all messed.

Terry smiled. "Hi."

Bruce smiled. "Hi. You slept long."

Terry yawned, looking at the window. "It's dark out."

"Yes. That's what happens when one sleeps for hours, leaving a poor, defenseless old man to himself."

Terry grinned. "Defenseless? Yeah, right. I think I know the truth on that one."

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "Oh"

Terry stood and stretched, causing Bruce to watch him move without comment, enjoying the view.

He grinned over his shoulder. "See somethin' you like"

"If I said I did"

"It might get me upstairs sooner."

Bruce smiled. "Well then, I _do_ see something I like."

Terry nodded seriously. "Well, then I guess..." he looked at Bruce and smiled"...it' s time to go upstairs."

Bruce watched him walk to the door and waited for him to turn, anticipated the smirk and the way his eyes.

"Are you comin'"

Bruce stood and walked around his desk. He was halfway to the door when he stopped.

"Terry."

Terry froze, eyes wide and his face a lot paler.

"Terry, what about Dana"

Terry let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, and grinned. "Dana who"

Bruce smiled, shaking his head and trying not to laugh.

That was all the answer he needed.


End file.
